Developers hope Three Crossings will become the hottest new place to live and work in Pittsburgh
Oxford Development officials broke ground Wednesday on the 11-acre site, which sits along the Allegheny River at Smallman and Railroad streets in the Strip District. When completed, it will feature 300 apartments and up to 375,000 square feet of new office space.
VIDEO: Watch Shannon Perrine’s report from the Strip
The name pays tribute to three modes of transportation — truck, rail and barge — for which the Strip has historically been known.
Three new modes of transportation developers hope the Strip will be known for are bike, pedestrian and public transportation.
The site will also feature a place to store kayaks and to plug in an electric vehicle.
The construction will include a new park along the riverfront.
“Why wouldn’t you live in the Strip District?” Oxford Development CEO Steven Guy asked. “Just about everything is here; it’s walkable, there’s plenty of good places to eat and drink, you’ve got the riverfront, things are developing here. This is probably the most happening part of the city.”
The site used to be home to industry and had been polluted.
CHRONICLE: How the Strip and Lawrenceville have changed over the years
Mayor Bill Peduto now hopes Three Crossings will be a destination for former Pittsburghers.
“Conversion of a brownfield, an old industrial site, into one of the hottest living areas of the city is something you’re going to see replicated not only here, but in areas around Manchester and in the West End,” said Peduto. “It’s time now. Where we saw for 70 years people leaving, now people want to come home.”
The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2015.
